Could your breathing during surgery protect your brain?

This study aims to understand how different levels of carbon dioxide in the blood, controlled by a ventilator during anesthesia, affect blood flow to the brain and thinking skills after robotic prostate surgery. Researchers will enroll 46 men aged 55-80 and randomly assign them to have either higher or lower normal CO2 levels during their operation. They will use ultrasound to measure brain blood flow during surgery and test memory and reaction time before and after the procedure to see if CO2 levels make a difference.